Automation to Control a new Biopower Plant in Hämeenkyrö, Finland

Modern automation technology and sophisticated reporting applications contribute to higher energy efficiency and sustainability at a biopower plant.

The new biopower plant built by Pohjolan Voima, Leppäkosken Sähkö and Metsä Board (Finland) is extensively controlled with automation supplied by Metso. Inaugurated on October 9, 2012, it is Pohjolan Voima's 15th biopower plant.

Located on Metsä Board's Kyro board and paper mill site, the biopower plant has an electricity capacity of 12 MW and a thermal capacity of 55 MW. It produces electricity and heat for the Kyro mill and district heat for the customers of Leppäkosken Sähkö. The plant runs on wood residues and other wood fuels. Peat is used as a support fuel. The CO2 emissions will be reduced by approximately 100,000 metric tons annually due to the use of domestic fuels instead of natural gas.

Metso supplied a Metso DNA automation system as a complete turnkey package to the plant, including all the stages from engineering to commissioning. Automation is used to control the fluidised bed boiler and the related fuel reception and handling systems. The new boiler has replaced the old natural gas-fired power plant that was controlled with Metso's Damatic XD automation system.

The automation system features high user friendliness. For example, the Metso DNA Trend and Event Archive tool gives the operators access to trend and event history straight from the operator interface. The Metso DNA Information Management system, in turn, includes extensive data collection as well as process performance and emissions control. There are also efficient tools for analysing disturbances.

Reporting plays a major role in ensuring high plant efficiency. For example, the Metso DNA Solid Fuel Data Management application allows an accurate follow-up of biomass quality and energy content. The shareholder reporting allots the plant's production, consumption and CO2 emissions among the shareholders. The planning of plant operation is supported by an application that calculates electricity production forecasts per shareholder.

The plant condition and operation monitoring has been integrated into the automation system. With the Metso DNA Machine Monitoring application and advanced analysis tools, the staff is able to monitor and analyse the mechanical condition of critical plant equipment, such as the most important pumps and blowers as well as the turbine generator. Thanks to the monitoring, it is possible to foresee and notice equipment damage in good time so that maintenance work can be carried out during planned shutdowns.

Pohjolan Voima produces electricity and heat for its 21 shareholders with hydropower, thermal power and nuclear power. Its shareholders include Finnish export industry companies, energy companies and cities. At the end of 2011, Pohjolan Voima's electricity production capacity totaled 3,510 MW, which represents about 20% of Finland's total electricity production. In 2011, the company's net sales amounted to EUR 1.3 billion, and it employed an average of 487 people.